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2014 Kansas City Gameday HQ

ERA, but you can obviously see where the Yankees have expectations
for so much more. Tanaka had a low-90s fastball, along with a mid-80s
splitter and slider, but it is his ability to mix and match to keep hitters
off balance—even with an occasional curveball throw in—which makes
the right-hander with the consistent, pitch-disguising arm motion so
dangerous on any continent. His age, 25, belies his wisdom. As GM
Brian Cashman has said, His transition has been seamless. If anything,
Tanaka has been his own worst critic. While others were ecstatic about
his spring-training performances, Tanaka spoke of needing to clean
things up: too many pitches per inning; allowing a walk with two outs
on two separate occasions; missing spots on the plate as the inning
progresses. He really does obsess about
throwing strikes. Apparently, it is that quest for
perfection that made him a 30-0 pitcher last
season in Japan. For now, the 6-2, 205-pound
Tanaka projects to be the Yankees’ third pitcher
in the starting rotation, following C.C. Sabathia
and Hiroki Kuroda. He also will be in good
hands all season with catcher Brian McCann
behind the plate.
AL EAST DIVISION NOTABLES: Xander
Bogaerts, Boston Red Sox SS; Kevin
Gausman, Baltimore Orioles RP; Jake
Odorizzi, Tampa Bay Rays P; Marcus
Stroman, Toronto Blue Jays P.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
WEST
Taijuan Walker, Seattle
Mariners Pitcher
Taijuan Walker did not start pitching until his
senior year of high school, but the converted
prep shortstop rapidly progressed up the
Seattle Mariners’ system after being selected
43rd in the 2010 draft. Since that time, Walker
impressed many in a short amount of time,
even making his major-league debut days only
weeks after his 21st birthday in August 2013 (he
was the fourth-youngest player in the American
League in 2013). In Walker’s short Seattle call-up
last season, the 6-4, 230-pounder pitched three
games for 15 innings, struck out 12, went 1-0
and posted a 3.60 ERA and 1.000 WHIP. His 1-2
punch is a mid-90s fastball along with a low-
90s cutter. In 371 career minor-league innings,
he struck out 400 batters. So when he went
down with a shoulder bursitis ailment in late
February, there was cause for concern. After
all, Walker had worked himself up to baseball’s
No. 6 prospect on MLB.com and many were
hoping for a breakout year. However, after two
weeks of rest and recovery and rehab, Walker was back on the mound
in mid-March, slowly working himself back into 90 mile-per-hour shape.
Because of the setback, Walker did not pitch in spring training and may
not be in the original five-man rotation. That said, Walker is still a rookie
the rest of baseball needs to keep an eye on in 2014. Where (and when)
he fits into the Mariners’ pitching staff remains to be seen.
AL WEST DIVISION NOTABLES: Michael Choice, Texas Rangers
OF; Nick Maronde, Los Angeles Angels RP; Max Muncy,
Oakland A’s 1B; Jonathan Singleton, Houston Astros 1B.
Walker